


Why Stop

by titaniumsansa



Series: A Softer World [5]
Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: A softer world - Freeform, Angst, Angst and Feels, Canon Compliant, Drabble, F/F, Grief/Mourning, Oneshot, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, Snaibsel, ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2017-09-07
Packaged: 2018-12-25 02:49:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12026529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/titaniumsansa/pseuds/titaniumsansa
Summary: Artemis loses it after Wally dies. Zatanna's there to help her pick up the pieces. Based off a Softer World prompt. Snaibsel. All oneshots in the series are unrelated, can be read without reading the other drabbles.





	Why Stop

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sunkelles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunkelles/gifts).



> I do not own anything.   
> The prompt for this oneshot is: "CAN’T STOP WON’T STOP NOT SURE HOW TO STOP (WHY STOP)"  
> Grief based off personal experience, could be potentially read as ooc for Artemis.

Another punch and then a kick-it really doesn’t fucking matter in the grand scheme of things. Artemis didn’t fail fighting-there’s no way she could have saved Wally, that’s what everyone keeps saying. 

The bad guys are just rotting in prison, they’re not dead and gone without a body to bury. The people they caught are fine, their lives aren’t over. She doesn’t have access to go beat the living shit out of them so the punching bag of the Watchtower gym has to do. She’s not even League yet but she has access to zeta in anyway. Artemis isn’t sure what day it is or how long she’s been working on the punching bag but it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. Wally’s still dead. Wally’s not coming back. Wally.

She punches the bag again when she thinks about his last smile-she can’t remember the last words she said to him. He wanted to get out of the game and he should have. She just had to date and love a  _ goddamn hero,  _ of course he died to save the world.  Anyone else would have died in his place-any of the Team would have done that too-but Wally should be alive.

Vandal Savage, Deathstroke, Ra's al Ghul, Lex Luthor, Queen Bee-any of them should be dead instead. 

So maybe beating the shit out of a punching bag won’t help but it’s the only way she can get some of the anger out. If this is what it takes-so be it. It’s not like she has anywhere to be, she’s not cleared to be back on the Team yet-and it’s not like there’s anyone waiting for her at home. Stanford thinks she left at semester-there’s nothing left. Everywhere is too quiet and too loud-the apartment is haunted and full of memories of Wally-his laugh, his homework-even the food in the fridge. 

Artemis doesn’t notice the people watching her and talking, her focus narrows to getting the endless anger out.

“Artemis, stop,” a familiar voice says. A glance to her left tells her that it’s Zatanna.

“Can’t stop, won’t stop. Not sure how to stop. Why stop?” Artemis asks with a few kicks. 

“We’re worried about you,” Zatanna tries again. Artemis doesn’t look at her, and she remembers when Artemis helped her when Nabu stole her father from her. 

“Sorry, I don’t care about anything anymore,” Artemis says with a punch to the bag. She’s in a lot of pain and she’s shutting down, Zatanna reminds herself Artemis isn’t ignoring her to hurt her feelings.

“Haven’t you heard? Caring is overrated. You love people and then-you-just-lose-them. What’s the fucking point?” Artemis asks as she punches. Wally is just _gone._ _She can’t call the Wests, can’t look at Bart, can’t stand looking at Barry-_ Wally was supposed to take over for him in a few months as Iris got to the third trimester. That’s gone. He’s gone. Her future is just _gone._

Artemis feels like an empty, angry shell-Wally took her heart with him.

“I can’t say anything that will fix this. But you’ve been here all day. You’re dehydrated and you haven’t taken a break. You need food and water. Just eat and rehydrate. Please. We don’t even have to go to the cafeteria. I can go and grab food and come back here if you want. We don’t even have to talk if you don’t want that. You can scream at me and do anything you want after you drink water and eat something,” Zatanna promises. Artemis looks at her finally, and stops for a minute.

“Fine,” Artemis agrees. The exhaustion hits her like a sucker punch. Zatanna knows it’s not much progress, but at least it’s something. 

Healing takes time and support. Zatanna’s going to make sure Artemis has both.


End file.
